Pocket knife and clipper



March 22, 1955 w. HUNT 0 POCKET KNIFE AND CLIPPER Filed May 12, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 1 a g; zz INVENTOR. :13 Jan/v W Hum 5 0 2... -"Kydi Z QQ;Arm/v5 March 22, 1955 J. w. HUNT 2,704,398

POCKET KNIFE AND CLIPPER Filed May 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IE 1 E EI 1. ET. 7

62 a f O 65 o IE I. E: E I .1 5-; E 8

II. 3- .LD T

V IN V EN TOR.

JOHN W HUNT United States Patent POCKET KNIFE AND CLIPPER John W. Hunt,Pontiac, Mich.

Application May 12, 1954, Serial No. 429,156

10 Claims. (Cl. 30-142) This invention relates to a combination pocketknife and nail clipper.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pocket knife with a nailclipper without reducing the size of the knife blades. In other words,having in mind that the average man does not want a bulky knife and nailclipper, but does want a knife with at least one fairly good size knifeblade and nail clipper, it is desired to utilize normally lost space inthe knife casing to accommodate the nail clipper.

Another object is to provide the nail clipper with shielding elements atthe side edges of its cutting elements whereby when the device is notbeing used there will be no danger of the cutting elements snagging theusers clothes, as for example when it is deposited in a mans pocket.

Another object is to construct the unit out of a minimum number of partsby forming both side plates of the knife housing out of a single sheetof material.

A further object is to provide the nail clipper with a lever (forbringing the cutting elements together) which needs no latch for holdingit in retracted position against the face of the clipper.

Another object is to provide a combination pocket knife and clipper inwhich the clipper-biasing lever is made as a flat member without a humpportion to project beyond the face of the knife; whereby the device willnot be unduly bulky when deposited in a mans pocket.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment constructed according to theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

F Fig. 3 is an end view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is an explodedview of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 with the parts thereof shown inperspective;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a casing and clipperforming unit used inthe construction of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the unit shown in Fig. 6 but taken froma different angle of view;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the unit shown in Fig. 6 taken while it is inthe form of a blank prior to its being bent into the form shown in Fig.6;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a plate used to cover one face of the unitshown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is an end view of one embodiment of the invention incorporatingtherein the blank shown in Fig. 8 and the cover plate shown in Fig. 9;and

Fig. 11 is a view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 5, the device there illus- Patented Mar.22, 1955 trated will be seen to include a pair of cover plates 1 and 2fixedly secured on the outer faces of liner plates 3 and 4. Secured onplates 3 and 4 at the opposite ends of plates 1 and 2 are cap members 5.Cover plate 1 is cut away at 19 to provide a V-shaped notch 20 forreceiving lever 21 in its retracted position against plate 3. A secondnotch 23 cut in one of cap members 5 receives the apertured ears formedon the upper end of the levers mounting post 22.

Slits at 24 and 25 (Fig. 4) are made in liner plate 3 to provide aspring arm 26, normally lying in the plane of the plate. Hole 27, cut inarm 26, receives mounting post 22 and notch 11, cut in plate 3, receivesrectangular peg 10. The free edge of the spring arm is turned down at 28and provided with a sharp cutting edge 29. Immediately beneath plate 3but out of alignment with arm 26 is provided knife spring 6, having anotch 9 cut therein to accommodate rectangular peg 10. In the plane ofspring 6 there is positioned a knife blade 14 mounted for pivotalmovement on pin 15 (Fig. 1). The left end of spring 6 exerts a pressureon blade 14 suflicient to releasably retain it in both use position andretracted position. The right end of spring 6 is undercut at 30 toprovide a clearance space for the users finger nail while at the sametime preventing the side portion of cutting edge 29 from snagging theusers clothes, as when the device is deposited in a mans pocket. Apartition plate 16, having peg-accommodating notch 17 cut therein, isprovided between spring 6 and a second spring 7. Spring 7 is similar inshape to spring 6 except that its right end is undercut on its upperface (as at 31) instead of on its lower face. Knife blade 13 (Fig. 1)coacts with the left end of spring 7 in the same way that blade 14coacts with the left end of spring 6.

Plate 4, positioned on the under face of spring 7, is slit at 32 and 33to form an arm 34. This arm is bent up and provided with a sharp cuttingedge 35. Immediately to the left of arm 34 there is provided a hole 36for accommodating post 22, the flange 46 of which is seated in recess 47in one of cap members 5. Plates 3 and 4 are provided with aligned holes37 and 38 for receiving pins 39 and 40, projecting from the upper andlower faces of spacer block 18. This block helps hold plates 3 and 4 inspaced relation and at the same time shields the sharp edges 29 and 35from snagging the users clothes. Notch 41 provides a clearance space forthe users finger nail.

Referring to lever 21, shown in retracted position in Fig. 5, there isprovided an enlarged head 42 having a projection 43 thereon forreleasably retaining the lever in the Fig. 5 position. In the finalstage of its movement into the retracted position projection 43 willmove up through hole 27 about horizontal pin 44 and snap into positionover the upper face of arm 26 (as shown in Fig. 5). Projection 43eliminates the need for a latch to hold the lever in its retractedposition.

In order to move cutting edge 29 from its retracted position intoengagement with cutting edge 35, as when it is desired to trim onesfinger nail, lever 21 is moved upward about pin 44 until shoulder 45(Fig. l) is above the upper face of plate 1, after which the lever andpost 22 are moved as a unit around the axis of the post for one hundredeighty radial degrees. Lever 21 is then moved down about pin 44 to causeshoulder 45 to engage the upper face of arm 26 and force it down untilcutting edge 29 contacts cutting edge 35.

It will be seen that since plate 3 and spring arm 26 are positionedadjacent the relatively short blade 14 the spring arm is free to bemoved toward plate 4 without striking a knife blade. It is possibletherefore to incorporate the nail clipper into the knife without havingto increase the length, Width or thickness thereof.

The modified construction shown in Figs. 6 through 11 includes astamping 60 having two plates 61 and 62 interconnected by a neck portion63. Plate 61 is slit at 64 and 65 to provide a spring arm 66 having asharp cutting edge 67. Projecting from one edge of plate 61 is a largetab 68 having tabs 69 and 70 extending therefrom. Tab 68 is adapted tobe bent on line 71 at right angles to the plane of plate 61 and tab 70is adapted to be bent on line 72 at an angle to tab 68 equal to theinclination of the end 75 of knife spring 73. When the knife blade (notshown) is being moved to closed or open position it exerts a force onthe end 74 of spring 73 in the direction of arrow A (Fig. 8) tending toflex spring 73 around pin 76 and remove the slight bow therein. Theinclined face portion formed on end portion 75 permits it to ride oninclined tab 70 and compensate for any lengthening of the knife springwhich may occur incident to removal of the bow.

Although no knife blades are shown it is contemplated that two knifeblades (and hence two knife Springs) will be provided. In order toreduce the thickness of the knife no partition plate is provided betweenthe knife springs. The reader will note that neck portion 63 is wider inthe area adjacent plate 61 than in the area adjacent plate 62. Thenarrow neck portion will allow clearance for a relatively long knifeblade while the wide neck portion will strengthen the neck and at thesame time allow clearance for a relatively short knife blade.

During assembly of the device plate 61 is bent on line 77 at rightangles to neck portion 63, and neck portion 63 is in turn bent on line78 at right angles to plate 62 so as to position plate 61 parallel toplate 62. Tab 69 is then bent on line 79 at right angles to tab 70 toposition portion 81 of tab 69 against the outer face of plate 62 asshown in Fig. 6. The bend portion 79 will then be seated in notch 80(Fig. 8). In order that portion 81 will not protrude from the outer faceof plate 62 its thickness is gradually reduced toward its free edge andthe thickness of plate 62 in the area denoted by reference numeral 82 iscorrespondingly reduced to thereby provide a scarf point between theplate and tab.

Cover plate 83, shown in Fig. 9 and having an oval shaped opening 34therein (to receive lever 90 in its retracted position) has two fingers85 and 86 formed thereon. In the assembly operation plate 83 will bepositioned in facial engagement with the exposed face of plate 61, afterwhich fingers 85 and 86 will be bent around shoulders 87 and 88 formedadjacent spring arm 66. The edge portion of plate 83 between fingers 85and 86 and denoted by reference numeral 89 is bent around the adjacentportion of arm 66 to form a protective lip therefor.

A second cover plate 91, similar in shape to plate 83 (except that ithas no oval-shaped opening) is positioned against the outer face ofplate 62 as shown in Fig. 11, and has ears 92 and 93 bent over shoulders94 and 95 formed adjacent cutting edge 96.

Ears 35. 86, 92 and 93 overlap the side edges of cutting elements 67 and96 and prevent them from snagging the users clothes while at the sametime the ears are spaced apart a sufiicient distance to permit easyentry of the users finger nail into the space between the cutting elements.

The post and lever construction shown in Fig. 11 is the same as thatemployed in the device shown in Figs. 1 through 5. Hence a detaileddescription thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination pocket knife and nail clipper comprising a first plateand a second plate parallel thereto, a relatively long knife bladeadjacent said first plate and a relatively short knife blade adjacentsaid second plate mounted for pivotal movements to and from the spacebetween said plates, said second plate having a plurality of slits cuttherein to provide an arm and a shoulder adjacent each side edgethereof, said arm having its free end turned toward said first plate toprovide a first cutting jaw, said first plate having an end portionthereof turned toward said arm to provide a second cutting jaw inregistry with said first jaw, and spacers between said shoulders andsaid first plate whereby said first jaw is free to be squeezed againstsaid second jaw but said knife blades a1l"e prevented from bindingagainst said first and second p ates.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein one of said spacersincludes a block and another of said spacers includes the end portionsof a pair of knife springs.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said spacer formingblock is notched out to provide a clearance space for the users fingernail.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the end portions of theknife springs are tapered toward the opposed ones of said knife springsto provide a clearance space for the users finger nail.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein one of said spacersincludes a neck portion formed integrally with said first and secondplates and another of said spacers includes an extension integrallyformed with one of said plates.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said extension has a tabextending at an angle to the plane of said extension and forming a stopfor cammingly engaging the tapering end of a knife spring.

7. A combination pocket knife and nail clipper comprising a first plateand a second plate parallel thereto for receiving a pair of knife bladestherebetween, said second plate having a plurality of slits cut thereinto provide an arm and a shoulder adjacent each side edge thereof, saidarm having its free end turned toward said first plate to provide afirst cutting jaw, said first plate having an end portion thereof turnedtoward said arm to provide a second cutting jaw in registry with saidfirst jaw, and spacers between said shoulders and said first plate,whereby said first jaw is free to be squeezed against said second jawbut said shoulders are prevented from moving toward said first plate.

8. A nail clipper comprising a first plate and a second plate parallelthereto, said second plate having a plurality of slits cut therein toprovide an arm and a shoulder adjacent each side edge thereof, said armhaving its free end turned toward said first plate to provide a firstcutting jaw, said first plate having an end portion thereof turnedtoward said arm to provide a second cutting jaw in registry with saidfirst jaw, and spacers between sato shoulders and said first platewhereby said first jaw is free to be squeezed against said second jawbut said sllioulders are prevented from moving toward said first p ate.

9. The combination according to claim 8 and further comprising a postrotatably mounted on said first plate and projecting therefrom through ahole in said arm, a lever having an enlarged head pivotally mounted onthe free end of said post, said head having a tip portion in the planeof said lever and extending beyond the hole and over the outer face ofsaid arm when said lever is adjacent thereto, the rotatable mounting ofsaid post and the pivotal mounting of said lever permitting said leverto be moved away from said arm with said tip portion moving into thehole, said lever and post to be rotated as a unit for one hundred eightyradial degrees, and said lever to be moved toward said arm, whereby saidhead will press said arm toward said first plate.

10. A nail clipper comprising a first plate and a second plate, an armon said second plate having its free end turned toward said first plateto provide a first cutting jaw, said first plate having an end portionthereof turned toward said arm to provide a second cutting jaw inregistry with said first jaw, a post rotatably mounted on said firstplate and projecting therefrom through a hole in said arm, and a leverhaving an enlarged head pivotally mounted on the projecting end of saidpost, said head having a tip portion extending beyond the hole and overthe outer face of said arm when said lever is adjacent thereto, therotatable mounting of said post and the pivotal mounting of said leverpermitting said lever to be moved away from said arm with the tipportion moving into the hole, said lever and post to be rotated as aunit about the axis of said post, and said lever to be moved toward saidarm, whereby said head will press said arm toward said first plate toeffect the desired cutting action on the users finger nail.

No references cited.

